Celebrate Sahtu
On July 23rd, The Town of Norman Wells, North-Wright Airways and Canoe North Adventures will host a celebration that will showcase the wilderness of the Sahtu Region and recognize the collaboration of effort to brand the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories as a tourism destination with national and international recognition. This event will highlight the outfitting capabilities designed to support both fully-guided and self-guided canoe and hiking expeditions in the Sahtu.
The Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories
Sahtu is the Dene word meaning Great Bear Water. The Sahtu is defined on the east by Great Bear Lake and sweeps for 280,000 sq kms over to the Mackenzie Mountains and the Yukon border. From its Norman Wells hub, paddlers can access ten river systems: the Redstone, Keele, Natla, Mountain, Wind, Bonnet Plume, Snake, Anderson, Horton and Great Bear. Hikers can access the Canol Heritage Trail and other significant hikes in the Mackenzie Mountains. These paddlers and hikers have been coming to the Sahtu for thirty years but it has been one of Canada’s best kept secrets unknown by the broader base of outdoor adventure seekers.
Building the Sahtu
Collaboration: About four years ago, a group of determined stakeholders initiated a cooperative effort to brand the Sahtu as a Gateway to Adventure. These stakeholders include GNWT Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI); Sahtu ITI; Sahtu Parks and Tourism; NWT Tourism Association; North-Wright Airways and Canoe North Adventures.
Infrastructure: Three years ago, a major infrastructure project was started at the North-Wright Airways float base in Norman Wells by North-Wright Airways and Canoe North Adventures. This base is where ninety-five percent of wilderness expeditions access the rivers and hikes of the Sahtu. The project was born out of the belief that the world-class wilderness was not supported with the amenities required by travellers. This infrastructure project has reached almost 1.7 million dollars and will most certainly rise over the 2 million mark over the next two years. When finished, this project will represent the best logistical support centre for wilderness expeditions in Canada’s far north. The project consists of:
- a log and timber frame outfitting centre built by Canoe North Adventures to support both self-guided and fully-guided expeditions
- gear and equipment supply centre
- expansion of gear and equipment available for self-guided or fully-guided trips
- 4 new docks to support Twin Otter, Porter Pilatus, Cessna 207 aircraft
- pavilion for packing and adjusting gear
- high level of amenities for the most discerning northern traveller
- creation of the Sahtu Aviation Museum including murals
Featured Adventures
- Tischu River
Our exploratory trip on the Tischu River, a tributary of the Keele River
News & Events
- Fall Newsletter November 2011
We have just posted our 2012 Expedition Program and you will see that we have offered two new winter trips including an ice-road adventure to Norman Wells! We are very excited to be offering a Coppermine River Adventure – this was my first ever arctic canoe trip when I was just 18 years old! Other [...]
- Celebrate Sahtu
On July 23rd, The Town of Norman Wells, North-Wright Airways and Canoe North Adventures will host a celebration that will showcase the wilderness of the Sahtu Region and recognize the collaboration of effort to brand the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories as a tourism destination with national and international recognition. This event will highlight the [...]
- Great Bear River Exploration
This past summer, Lin Ward, Susan Casson, Matt Casson and Karl Schiefer checked out the Great Bear River. North-Wright Airways flew them into the First Nation community of Deline on Great Bear Lake. Once canoes were loaded they only paddled a short distance out to a camp right on Great Bear Lake. Karl and Matt [...]
- The 2010 Operator of the Year Award for the Northwest Territories
The award was presented to Al and Lin by the Minister of Tourism at the Northwest Territories Tourism Gala Dinner held in Inuvik on Thursday, November 25th…
- Our Outfitting Centre
It has been a long-standing dream of Canoe North Adventures …
- The Redstone River Exploratory Expedition
The Redstone River is unique in that…
- Canol Heritage Trail Exploratory Hike, 2009
At Canoe North, we are always intrigued with the prospect of a grand adventure…
- Ice Road
The trip took eight days and the last two days …
- Exploratory Trips
In 2009, we are planning two more exploratory trips…
- New Air Services and Canoeing Base for CNA, 2009
at the North-Wright Airways float base in Norman Wells…
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